Hyperbole

08.23.11

Biden Compares Tsunami to U.S. Debt

Shizuo Kambayashi / AP Photo

The debate over the U.S. budget has seen a lot of hyperbole, but this is a new one. During a visit to Japan’s Sendai airport, devastated by the earthquake and tsunami, Vice President Joe Biden drew a connection between the tsunami and the U.S. budget, saying that in both cases “there are voices in the world who are counting us out,” and that “they’re making a very bad bet.” Biden’s visit to Japan is the last in his eight-day Asia trip. He met with Prime Minister Naoto Kan, who apologized for his country’s “political situation,” which will become more uncertain when Kan resigns next week.